What's Basic Training really like.

[Citronman1980]

Haven't heard from anyone from the Chair... errr I mean the Air Force and how bad their bootcamp was. Guess there isn't a lot to complain going on when your barracks is at the Hilton.

 

[Fireaxes]

Wow, 16 years ago today I was somewhere in 1st phase of Boot Camp. Working on my tan under the San Diego sun! When you are a Hollywood Marine life is good.

 

[j706]

I was a drill instructor for three years with my last year as senior Drill instructor. (Ft. Benning Ga. 11P2 with A.5/1). What do you wanna know?

 

[hornadylnl]

I was a drill instructor for three years with my last year as senior Drill instructor. (Ft. Benning Ga. 11P2 with A.5/1). What do you wanna know?

What years and what Battalion?

 

[j706]

What years and what Battalion?

1980-83 Alpha co, 5th Bn 1st infantry training brigade., Harmony Church Ga.

 

[hornadylnl]

1980-83 Alpha co, 5th Bn 1st infantry training brigade., Harmony Church Ga.

Harmony Church? You're old.

 

[Archbishop]

Harmony Church? You're old.

ha ha!

 

[mammynun]

You along with 50 other soldiers are piled into a cattle truck:

Cattle cars ROCK! Beats the hell out of walking back from Sicily DZ. And Sicily is the closest one....

 

[Ol' Wiley]

Wow, 16 years ago today I was somewhere in 1st phase of Boot Camp. Working on my tan under the San Diego sun! When you are a Hollywood Marine life is good.

8 years ago here... mmm 1st phase, gettin that base tan going.
Think I still have some original issued tanning oil. USMC tested and approved.
OP should join up, I'll be more than happy to lend him some.

 

[mammynun]

1980-83 Alpha co, 5th Bn 1st infantry training brigade., Harmony Church Ga.

You DICK!

Delta 2/2, 1984 at Harmony Church. I never trusted those Sand Hilton wimps...

SSG Kehoe ring any bells?

Also, we did a 25 mile road march and they made a big deal out of it, got some certificate saying we were the first to do it since WWII (or some long ago time). I always thought that it was some hoo-ah BS. Can you confirm our deny?

 

[Tactical Dave]

 

[j706]

Harmony Church? You're old.

Yea but I dont feel old at all. That was a long time ago. I was at Benning in 2004 for my sons graduation. I went looking for Harmony Church and it was pretty much all gone with a lot of pine trees.

 

[darinb]

I went through Army basic training in 2000 and I was disappointed. Other than being away from home and being told where to go and what to do it reallly wasnt that bad. Physically I wasnt challenged much since I was used to working out everyday and was a competitive boxer at the time. I meet alot of good guys which I am still friends with today. I really enjoyed it. It was a rewarding experience. I hear things have changed alot even since I was in BCT. We werent allowed books,magazines,cell phones,civilian clothes,etc and now I hear you are allowed a phone and alot more freedom. I had a buddy go through BCt a couple years and he said it is more like a college dorm atmosphere in the barracks and the drill instructors are not in your face as much as they once were. I still salute every serviceman/woman I see regardless of how rigorous their training was. I hear alot of people say soldiers are soft nowadays and there may be a little truth to that but they are still brave for stepping forward to serve their country.

 

[j706]

You DICK!

Delta 2/2, 1984 at Harmony Church. I never trusted those Sand Hilton wimps...

SSG Kehoe ring any bells?

Also, we did a 25 mile road march and they made a big deal out of it, got some certificate saying we were the first to do it since WWII (or some long ago time). I always thought that it was some hoo-ah BS. Can you confirm our deny?

I don't recall a SSgt. Kehoe. As for the certificates there was a "run for your life" 100 mile and I think 50 mile. In other words they were saying that in your time there you ran or marched the total of those miles. Always thought it was kinda cheesy.

The DS's i was with the most was SSgt's Price and Diaz.

I was kind of lucky because I was one of the few E4's to get into Drill Sgt school at Ft. Jackson. By the way, Drill Sgt, school was no joke. Way tougher than basic and basic airborne by far. Talk about PT!!

 

[Cemetery-man]

I went through basic training in 1974. Nam was all but over so there seemed to be a relaxed feeling that seemed to flow over into the training. Wasn't near as bad as I expected with limited physical and more directed to mental training. Longest run was 1 mile and that was on a paved track in shorts and t-shirts. Most of the day was spent working outside and in the barracks and in class and then a couple of hours for physical training.

The laxed training may have been due to the fact our DI was a falling down drunk who seemed to disappear many times during the day and was drinking away from the barracks most of the night. If it weren't for his assistant (who was as intimidating as a teddy bear), we would have had to train ourselves.

Or maybe it was because it was the Air Force. Brains before brawn!!

 

[SSGSAD]

USMC, Oct 1977-Jan 1978... You want the TRUTH, the WHOLE TRURH, YOU can't HANDLE the TRUTH..... Ha, Ha,.....
Got on a plane, at 4:00 pm, landed at San Diego, 10:00 pm, and hell began, was up till 2 or 3 am, went to bed... got up at 5 am.... for 12 weeks.....lights out was 10:00 pm, except for the first night...

 

[Hoosier8]

Haven't heard from anyone from the Chair... errr I mean the Air Force and how bad their bootcamp was. Guess there isn't a lot to complain going on when your barracks is at the Hilton.

Here you go. When through AF boot camp in 71. 6 weeks of pure hell.

Actually it was a piece of cake, or maybe a better word was a joke after getting used to the first couple of weeks where you do everything wrong. We did have a few meltdowns though. During a march, the shoulders on the guy in front of me were hitching up and down. The TI called him out and when he turned, he had these alligator tears running down his cheeks. He just couldn't take it anymore. LOL

Had a black guy cry after the initial haircut. He had a big red fro and they just shaved under it and lifted it off like a wig.

Firearms training consisted of some initial practice firing then a 20 round test with an M16. I must have done real good because I had 21 holes in my target.

My daughter went through Marine boot camp a couple of years ago at Paris Island. 3 months. I asked her what she thought when she got back. She loved it but said it wasn't as hard as she thought it would be. She also went during a good time of the year. She was already 100% on the physical part when she went in though and looked forward to the training. She did not know how to swim so I taught her just before she went in. Took too it like a fish and was swimming laps on her 4th lesson.

The Marines sleep on the ground.
The Army sleeps on a cot.
The Navy sleeps in a bunk.
The Air Force sleeps in a bed.

 

[hornadylnl]

The Marines sleep on the ground.
The Army sleeps on a cot.
The Navy sleeps in a bunk.
The Air Force sleeps in a bed.

Army Infantry here. I spent many a nights sleeping on the ground.

 

[Hoosier8]

Army Infantry here. I spent many a nights sleeping on the ground.

Poser!

 

[mammynun]

Army Infantry here. I spent many a nights sleeping on the ground.

+1